Frances McDormand nearly had her Oscar stolen

Frances McDormand nearly left the Academy Awards empty-handed after someone tried to steal her coveted golden statuette but luckily it was returned to her.

The 60-year-old actress won the coveted golden statuette for Actress in a Leading Role at this year's Academy Awards on Sunday for her role as Mildred Hayes in 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'.

However, after winning the accolade she placed the golden statuette down for a moment and a man grabbed it and ran for the door, USA Today reported.

Apparently McDormand was seen crying at the Governors Awards Ball after-party she gave up looking for her statue and left with her husband Joel Coen.

Security were searching for the accolade which luckily already had her name engraved on it and hours later McDormand's representative Simon Halls confirmed the Academy Award winner had been reunited with the accolade.

Hall said in an email: "Fran and Oscar are happily reunited and are enjoying an In-N-Out Burger together."

At the time, New York Times reporter Cara Buckley tweeted a picture of a man who allegedly swiped the prize, saying: "Security at the Governors Ball are looking for this guy, who grabbed Frances McDormand's Oscar and ran out with it. Wolfgang Puck's photographer stopped him, got the Oscar back, and the guy disappeared back into the ball.

"Apparently Frances has said to let him go. #Oscars #Drama (sic)"

When accepting her Oscar, Frances used her time in the spotlight to ask all the female nominees in the room at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to stand.

She said: "And now, I want to get some perspective. If I may be so honoured to have all the female nominees stand with me in this room tonight. Filmmakers, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, the composers, the songwriters, the designers, come on."

As they rose to their feet amid cheers, she said: "Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed. Don't talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into our office in a couple of days - or you can come to ours, whichever suits you best - and we'll tell you all about them ... I have two words for you: Inclusion rider."

An inclusion rider is a clause in a contract that would provide for gender and racial diversity.